Sustainability Specialist

• Support the deployment of responsible sourcing practices in one of NZ’s largest FMCG retailers

• Great opportunity to make a genuine positive impact!

• Hybrid flexibility based at Favona & Ponsonby, team benefits and group discounts

We are Woolworths Group | Ko Woolworths Tātou

We are Woolworths Group. 200,000+ bright minds, passionate hearts, and unique perspectives across Australia and New Zealand. Connected by a shared Purpose - 'to create better experiences together for a better tomorrow'. That Purpose fuels our ambition to explore new ideas, make brave commitments, and innovate better ways to meet the food and everyday needs of more than 24 million customers every week.

If you're excited to turn today's blue-sky thinking into a better tomorrow for future generations, you'll find yourself supported and enriched in a dynamic, inclusive, and empowering workplace. With a culture of genuine care, a flexible approach to work, and opportunities across the group to grow your career and make a meaningful impact, the possibilities for what we can achieve together are endless.

What you’ll do | Hei mahi

As the Sustainability Specialist - Human Rights, you’ll support the delivery of the Woolworths Group's 2030 Sustainability Strategy by focusing on responsible sourcing and ensuring supplier compliance across products and services.

You will be leading supplier screening and monitoring, reviewing audit reports, managing investigations and remediation of non-conformances, and providing technical advice to various stakeholders.

In addition, you will:

• Drive Ethical Supply Chain Compliance: Lead the screening and monitoring of suppliers, ensuring robust adherence to the Woolworths Human Rights Policy and Responsible Sourcing Standards.
• Resolve Grievances and Breaches: Take ownership of investigations and remediation efforts when human rights grievances or non-conformances are raised or identified.
• Act as Technical Advisor: Provide expert guidance and resolve complex human rights questions for suppliers, customers, and internal teams across Woolworths New Zealand.
• Embed Program Evolution: Develop and implement internal training to strengthen compliance and support the continuous improvement of the Human Rights Program.
• Track Performance and Communicate Impact: Ensure accurate internal and external reporting on sustainability commitments, highlight risks internally, and collaborate on engaging customer communications.

What you’ll bring | Hei koha

You’ll demonstrate a blend of specialized knowledge in human rights and sustainable business, alongside proven experience in managing responsible sourcing programs, conducting social compliance audits, and effectively leading investigations and remediation within high-risk supply chains.

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• Foundational Expertise: Degree or equivalent experience in sustainable business, human rights, law, or a related social discipline.
• Supply Chain Mastery: Proven experience managing responsible sourcing programs, with knowledge of social compliance audit schemes, global and domestic supply chain risks.
• Crisis and Remediation Leadership: Demonstrated ability to effectively manage investigations, drive remediation efforts, and address breaches within complex supply chains.
• Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: Exceptional skill in building relationships with diverse stakeholders, communicating compelling insights, and managing change through action plans.
• Business Acumen and Integrity: Possess strong business instinct and analytical skills to identify sustainability trends and risks, while consistently acting ethically and with integrity.

We strongly encourage you to apply even if you don’t perfectly align with every skill and experience listed above.

What you’ll experience | Ngā Huanga

Our Team Members are at the heart of everything we do and we’re always looking for ways to support your career journey and reward great work:

• A commitment to flexibility through a hybrid working model which combines time spent at a support office or hub and time working from home, supporting both in-person connection and balancing the flexibility that remote working provides for our teams
• High-impact role supporting our teams who enrich our communities.
• We support career development opportunities in this vast and exciting business
• A range of programs to help you prioritise and manage your wellbeing, including 24/7 access to the Sonder app.
• A progressive and competitive leave policy that gives you more space for what matters to you.
• Team discounts across our range of Woolworths Group brands you know and love and a robust rewards program that celebrates and incentivises purpose-driven work.

Everyone belongs at Woolworths Group | No Woolworths tātou

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are key to realising our purpose of better together for a better tomorrow. We recognise the value our team’s diversity brings to our business, customers, and communities and that teams with diverse experiences and backgrounds enrich our group and are better able to innovate and solve problems. As one of the largest employers in Australia and New Zealand, we aim to create a truly inclusive workplace where everyone feels that they belong, can be their best selves, and reach their full potential.

We encourage all candidates that meet the criteria to apply; please let us know in your application if we can support you with any adjustments in the hiring process.